Court System/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: Court System with Tim and Moby Tim in a law office narrates a commercial on the law. TIM: Has this ever happened to you? If you've been harassed by a cyborg, droid, or automaton, you don't have to put up with it. Four images show Tim being harassed by a robot, Moby. Moby coils his robotic arm around Tim when he is sick with the measles, puts a force field around Tim so he can't move, sprays Tim with a water gun, and hits Tim on the head with a drum stick. TIM: Dial 555-NO-BOT for the law offices of Tim and Tim, and get the justice you deserve. The phone number and the name "Tim and Tim" appear in the commercial. MOBY: Beep. Moby appears in the office standing by a shelf of law books. TIM: Hey! Hey! Moby taps the bookshelf. {Crash!} The fake bookshelf falls over and crashes to the floor, revealing that Tim and Moby are in a room in their house. TIM: Couldn't you have waited until I was done taping? MOBY: Beep. Moby hands Tim a letter. Tim reads from the typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Can you tell me about the court system? Thanks, John. Well, being that Moby's destroyed the law offices of Tim and Tim, we might as well answer this. In the United States, there are many kinds of courts, or places where legal cases are heard. And there are two types of legal cases: civil and criminal. An image shows the two types of legal cases. A scale represents civil cases and handcuffs represent criminal cases. TIM: Criminal cases are brought by the government against people accused of breaking the law. And civil cases are brought by one party against another. Like, if the two of us signed a contract, and you broke it, I might sue you in civil court. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Okay, think of it this way. Let's say one person accidentally hits another with his car. An animation shows one car rear-ending another car that is waiting at a traffic light. TIM: If he broke the law, like, if he was drunk, or driving recklessly, the state might bring criminal charges. And if the accused person, or defendant, is found guilty, he might have to pay a fine, or go to prison. Three side by side images show the defendant being arrested by a police officer, appearing before a judge, and standing behind bars in jail. TIM: But in a civil case, a judge or jury resolves a dispute without criminal punishment. For example, if the victim was injured in the crash, she could bring a civil case against the guy who hit her. If she won, he wouldn't go to jail or anything like that. But he'd have to pay her for the damages she suffered. An image shows the man and woman in court before a judge. The man is paying money to the woman who is wearing an arm cast and a neck brace. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Good question. Kids generally don't go through the same process as adults. If a minor breaks the law, she'll usually appear in juvenile court, which you can learn more about in our FYIs. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Robot court? Umm, not so sure about that. A thought bubble shows Moby dressed as a judge. TIM: Anyway, there are two basic court systems in the United States: state and federal. Every state has its own constitution and laws and state courts have authority over cases covered by these laws. An image shows a map of the fifty states. Each state has a gavel on it. TIM: The vast majority of cases, both civil and criminal, are dealt with on the state level. If they go to trial, they're first heard in state trial courts. In case you don't know, a trial is a hearing where each side argues its case in front of a judge or jury. An image shows a pyramid chart titled, "State Court System." "State Trial Courts" appears in the bottom section of the pyramid. TIM: If the loser of the case isn't satisfied with the court's decision, he can appeal it. That means he asks a higher court to review his case. These higher courts are called courts of appeals. "State Court of Appeals" appears in the middle section of the pyramid. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, if he loses the appeal, he might still be able to take his case to the highest state court, the state supreme court. "State Supreme Court" appears in the top section of the pyramid. TIM: Appeals courts and supreme courts don't have juries. Instead, cases are decided by panels of judges. An image shows nine judges behind a bench. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Right, federal courts hear cases involving laws that apply to the whole country. That includes civil cases that depend on federal law or that involve disputes between citizens from different states. Federal courts also handle federal crimes. An image shows a federal court building. TIM: These are violations of the U.S. Constitution or of laws passed by Congress. The federal system has three basic levels, just like the state system. At the lowest level is a network of federal district courts, divided into twelve regions, or circuits. A U.S. map shows the states in each of the twelve circuits. TIM: If you lose a case in district court, you can take it to that circuit's court of appeals. And if you're still not satisfied, you could ask the Supreme Court of the United States, in Washington D.C., to hear your case. A pyramid chart titled "Federal Court System" shows the three levels of courts. "Federal District Court" is at the bottom, "Federal Court of Appeals" is in the middle, and "U.S. Supreme Court" is at the top of the pyramid. TIM: It's made up of nine justices or judges. An image shows the nine justices of the Supreme Court. TIM: But, chances are, they'll say no. They hear fewer than one hundred cases a year, and these usually involve far-reaching legal issues. The image shows a close-up view of the judges. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Sorry, once the Supreme Court decides an issue, that's it; it's the highest legal authority in America. Oh, and by the way, you've been served. Tim hands Moby a letter. MOBY: Beep? TIM: I'm suing you for the damage you caused to the law offices of Tim and Tim. MOBY: Beep. Moby cries tears. Tim reconsiders. TIM: Oh fine, I'll drop the lawsuit. MOBY: Beep. Moby hugs Tim and they appear inside a large heart. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Social Studies Transcripts